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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Lexi and I showed up a little early for her appointment this morning. Everything went smoothly: we were called back on time, really nice nurses got her all set up, the doctor was able to easily get her bone back in place, and she woke up from the anesthesia tired, but none the worse for wear. I did have the chance to ask her doctor, "So whose bonehead idea was it to move into a building with stairs and no handicap accessible entrance?" He explained that the building is being remodeled and an accessible entrance is being added, but the move ended up going more quickly than they had planned and the entrance isn't done yet. Hopefully it doesn't take too long to complete.

Oh and there were a few of you who got really bent out of shape over my comments in regards to waiting in doctor's offices. Yes, I understand that things happen and it's not always the doctor's fault. I absolutely know there are patients who hold things up with endless questions, tardiness and just overall stupidity. And true, I've never worked in a doctor's office and had I worked there at some point in my life, I might feel differently. Still, on the whole, most doctor's offices make most patients wait longer than necessary, in my opinion. You just don't see this in other businesses. It still ticks me off to no end.

Anyway, the nurse asked Lexi, "How did this happen." I quickly told Lexi, "Tell her the short version!" The doctor made the mistake of asking Lexi what happened yesterday. This was her answer to him....

"I was playing Indiana Jones with Clayton. I was on Jackson's bunk bed and I was throwing rocks down at Clayton, but they weren't really rocks. They were pillows. Then there were alligators on the floor and I got down off the bunk bed and I got died by the alligators. Then I had to go on the bed again. Then I was throwing blankets off the bed. Clayton was on the floor with the alligators. Then I came down again and I got eated up by alligators again so I had to go on the top of Jackson's bunk bed again. Then I was throwing rocks down, but they weren't really rocks. We were just pretending they were rocks. Then my head turned and I went, "Woah woah woah" and I fell off and my arm hit the window by the ladder and then I landed on my arm inside a weird way."

By the way, the last time they played "Indiana Jones", Clay got stuck beneath a boulder (garage door) and when Lexi tried to rescue him, she got smashed under the door necessitating a trip to the ER.

I spent a good part of the afternoon second guessing myself. Maybe I should have insisted the doctor set her arm in the office yesterday. Yes, it would have been painful, but then she wouldn't have gone through the whole anesthesia, IV, being groggy all afternoon ordeal. Then again, as my friends pointed out, I probably would've just second guessed that decision and wondered if it had been better if she'd been out for the procedure instead of dealing with all the pain.

You do your best, try to make good decisions, and attempt to teach your kids right from wrong, but there are no easy answers when it comes to parenting. Unless the kids come up to you and ask, "Hey Mom, can we play Indiana Jones?" Then the answer is a resounding, "NO!"

I've worked in some doctors' offices. In Kentucky, we would get the drug reps to bring fruit and veggie trays and beverages for the waiting room. Because it was inhumane how long we were forcing people to wait. Those doctors overbooked and frequently one of them would have to leave the office to deal with an emergency. Wait times with an appointment would hit two or three hours.

In Arizona, we put coffee (decaf and regular) and cookies (sugar free and regular) in the waiting room for one doctor at his insistence. That doctor just vanished into a black hole everytime he shut the door to an exam room. He would spend twenty or thirty minutes seeing each patient. Established patients were happy to wait their turn to for so much undivided attention. The others in that practice could be relied upon to see their patients in something resembling a timely manner so we didn't provide snacks for their patients.

Maryanne, it's called $5 at a time honey. And, just an observation here Dawn...but it appears that the middle children are getting the brunt of the scrapes. Are they getting enough attention? Shouldn't the oldest ones be tormenting them so they get enough attention in some form or another? At least that's how it worked in my house till we shipped the oldest one off to grandma...

I am with you on the wait, and no, I haven't worked at a doctor's office.

My ortho surgeon's wait and visit usually takes 2 hours. Most of the problem was overbooking because we would get to talking in the waiting room and would realize how many had the same appt.

It has got better lately-I think they realized the patients were getting upset over the time. Most of his patients were neck and back problems, and those uncomfortable chairs had everyone in a lot of pain!

Cheers to Lexi!!! She was lucky to be out when she was manipulated. My DD broke her elbow Sept 19 and was manipulated in the ER with codine. OUCH!!! Lindsey gets her cast off tomorrow.... and it is the same color as Lexi's!!!!Give Lex a big 'ole kiss from Texas!!:0) Trevor

On doctor office waiting times...I get why it happens but what I don't get is the lack of communication and apologies. I love the fact that my kids' doctor will always see us (and anyone) vs. the, "sorry we're booked you'll have to go to Urgent Care." Due to that policy alone is why they get behind so it's a give and take (urgent care or waiting times with your regular doc?). However, I get so frustrated that I sit in a waiting room, sometimes with a very sick child, sometimes with all my kids, when a quick phone call would have allowed me to stay home for an extra hour. No time to call so tell me when I get there so maybe I can run an errand and come back is better that not knowing you're going to wait. It also bugs me that my time is not valued; an apology would go a long way (like any other service you pay for). The last thing is why do they pull you back into a room just to wait another hour? I would rather my kids were still out playing with the toys than be stuck in a small room with nothing to do. Sometimes we have some place really important to be but no one communicates. It's like you just have to deal with it...oh well. I walked out on a dentist appointment saying my kids were hungry and I wasn't waiting any longer (that kind is easier but for sick kids you're a prisoner). I didn't read all the comments but for those that have worked in an office like this you really have to see all sides; even if it's out of your control there are still things you can do to make it better.

I have one doctor who calls whenever he's running more than 20 min. behind. It works for me because I'm only 10 min away, but others have already left home.I'm with Dawn on this...they just don't communicate enough. We all understand emergencies but EVERY SINGLE TIME???

I waited 2 1/2 hours in an orthopedic office to have my broken arm set and then another hour in the exam room. I was so angry I deducted my hourly wages from their bill when I paid it. They threatened to turn me into collections and take me to court. I said, "Go ahead, I work for a collection agency and you'll have a hard time winning." I was telling the truth - I was a credit manager! I never heard from them again regarding the bill(I never paid the deducted part) and never had to wait more than 15 minutes for any following appointments.

Back during the 1984 summer olympics my son (age 7) set up a series of events in the house similar to the decathlon. I would wake up to hurdling (the sofa cushions were the hurdles), pole vaulting (using brooms), high jumps over the bar, marathoning doing circles around the stairs thru the foyer,dining room, kitchen and up and down the steps to the second level. This went on for months. He also ran track and cross country in HS. at least there was a track at the school for that. Then winter came-and luging using wooden ramps and his bike in the snow. I was happy when he discovered basketball and playing HORSE until 2 AM. He has no neighbors in Iowa to annoy with his antics. I pity his wife-no kidlets yet but he is only 31. and still a kid in so many ways. This too shall pass. and no stitches or broken bones. It was me who managed to do that cutting a bagel.

You know, my husband is a worker's comp (insurance defense) attorney and he knows all too well about dr's and how they schedule their patients. They will triple book their patients because they feel they should have no "down time". Their time is SO important that they should have 3 patients in examing rooms waiting on THEM! I totally agree with what you are saying, Dawn! It's totally ridiculous for dr's to be this way. If there are situations where patients will hold things up with their endless questions, tardiness, and just overall stupidity then the dr's should account for this and NOT triple book their time slots. It makes me livid to sit in a waiting room for a dr for 30 mins PAST my appt time only to have him/her come in and nonchalantly apologize for me having to wait because it's been "one of those days". Good grief..it's ALWAYS "one of those days" for them! OH..and not to mention the few times I have actually been running 5 mins late only to arrive and have the receptionist tell me I will have to reschedule my appt. WTF??? NO WAY!!! I will NOT reschedule my appt because you know what...It's just been one of those days for me!

I try to not mind waiting... especially in an orthopedics office because I figure they have probably had to squeeze in a Mom with an injured child at the last minute... ;) I've been that mom before too.

One thing I learned when my girls were younger and always twisting this or breaking that. The Doc's and other professionals have to ask the kids what happened to them. My Doc told me that he appreciated that I always let my kids tell what happened... as it made it easier for them to move on. So - although it may take awhile... just let them tell the assorted professionals what happened - it really takes less time that way.

Took my son to the eye dr. We were the first appt of the morning. After the nurse took us back and did the tests we sat in the room, with a wired 7 yr old and a 3 yr old ready to follow her big brother anywhere, for at least 20 minutes. FIRST APPT OF THE DAY people!

I'm thinking the Dr has time mgmt issues becaucse this wasn't the first time. Or, as my friend said, probably on Facebook.

I used to see an ob/gyne who had two exam rooms - his staff would book six appointment for the same time...the wait was endless, and many times there was no place to sit because everything was backed up, so you have people standing or sitting in the hallway for long periods until a chair opened up. My current doc uses a sign in sheet, and people are seen in the order in which they arrive. If you're late, you wait. Courtesy runs both ways.

I completely agree with you, the wait is ridiculous! Be sure to clear your afternoon before going to a doctor's appt... I'm glad she made out good. :) Must say, they at least have GREAT imaginations, which is rare in most kids these days. What a pretty blue cast! :) Good luck with the rest of the week.

In my entire life (I'm 44 now), I have never had a scheduled doctor appointment be on time, that I can recall. I always end up waiting, even though I'm on time and usually a bit early. Always. Always. Always.

When I scheduled an appointment with my old doctor I usually blocked off half the day. He would schedule his first appointment for 10 am and not show up at the office until after 11 am. I never took it out on his staff as I knew they had no control over him. It drove them as nuts as it drove me (we had plenty of time to talk while waiting for him to show up.) I put up with it for way too long before finding a new doctor.

My new doctor has a sign in the office that says "If you have been waiting more than 15 minutes passed your scheduled appointment please speak to the receptionist" Also, if the doctor is running really behind due to an emergency or something like that the office will call and let me know so I can reschedule if I need to. I'm usually early for my appointments and about half the time I'm done and out before my scheduled appoitment time! Best of all, I don't feel rushed when I'm talking to the doctor. He/she takes the time to address all my concerns. That's the way it's supposed to be.

Not to start a debate, but you're completely right about the doctors's office. If you make an appointment you shouldn't be waiting 45 mins in the waiting room then another 30 in the exam room. Yes patients can hold things up and stuff goes wrong...but isn't taking that into consideration part of proper scheduling? If it happens every day and it's expected then whose fault is it really? The patient who needs more explanation or the doctor who knows what's going to happen and still insists on scheduling patients every 10 mins? Yeah.

BTW, my mother-in-law worked in a doctor's office whose patients continually had to wait because his golf games ran over his lunch hour.

Hi Dawn: I hate to mess up all of the nice messages from other readers...BUT...Having watched your video about your trip to Linden Street...I suddenly got the urge to visit my local JC...and check out the 300 count real Egyptian sheets.The store had a nice little display..so when I slipped off my LOAFER..with the intention of recreating what I had seen YOU do...I was suddenly surrounded by two uniformed SECURITY GUARDS who did NOT know anyone named DAWN..and who were shocked (SHOCKED, I say!) that some chubby guy would have the NOIVE to run his tootsies(no matter how clean..I mean, someone could EAT from my manicured HOOVES)over fine Egyptian cotton.Anyhooo, I am just now back from the store. I noticed a reporter from our local newspaper...sorta-kinda smirking.I really hope that I am not the LEAD STORY!!However, all's well that ends well. Even though my shopping spree was halted early, I DID manage to see the Linden Street Collection. Later, wearing a false moustache, I will sneak back in, and buy one of those really neat Comforters.P.S. Perhaps you might include a DISCLAIMER with future videos..."DO as I SAY, NOT as i DO!"

Feisty Irish Wench- Do you even have kids? OMG. I cant believe your comment.

Dawn - I love how Lexi is always smiling. Even with a cast on... : )

I am preggos right now and I have two Dr. appointments a week. I usually have to wait 1.5 hours for one and 2 for the other. Its insane. I dont know why they take so long but what i do now is call ahead to see if there is a delay and then take my sweet time getting there.

Broken arm story here...I'm 8.5 months pregnant, we are in Florida visiting old friends from when we lived there...staying in in-laws condo. Lots of kids over, dancing, having fun...all of the sudden, a child comes to the adults and tells us that Maddie, my then 7 year old has fallen while dancing and she is hurt. I am saying to the other mothers "oh, she is probably milking it for attention -she's fine..." Not so fine...fingertips are touching the elbow...husband and another dad rush her out of the condo before I can see her (8.5 months pregnant, shouldn't have been traveling, seeing grotesque arm...they are thinking it'll put me into early labor!) Ended up spending 4 more days in Tampa, in a hospital while Maddie had 2 hour surgery to reset the arm...try sleeping on a cot that pregnant...they wouldn't let me take the bed next to her!!! Had to get permission to fly back home (we drove down there from Atlanta). Maddie was casted for almost 3 months, metal plates on both bones in that snapped in half - all from an innocent fall! She is now 13, has had the plates removed in her arm, her baby sister that I was pregnant with is now 6 and all is well!

Hooray that Lexi has a lighter and prettier cast. Anesthesia was so totally the way to go here.

Your boy has a pink cast and your girl a blue one? =D

I'm with you vis-a-vis doctors. It's why I don't go unless I am absolutely DYING. And what I say is "Thank you Heavenly Father for the continued good health of myself and my children." so we aren't subjected to that kind of waiting room torture too often.

My now 24 yr old broke his wrist when he was ,oh, 5, in the most creative way - he fell off metal monkey bars. Of course, it was a compund fracture and generally icky to look at.

He handled everything like a champ but it took nearly **11** hours to get his arm reset-the doc was at a Bulls game and had to come back to the hospital, much to the aggravation of the anesthesiolgist.

Luckily, he missed his growth plate and only has an oval scar from where the bone tried to leave his body. Ain't kids FUN!!??!!??!!!

Oh did I laugh when I read you told Lex to tell the "short version". My daughter is one of those who has no short version. (the summer she cut her toe cuz she had worn sandals to camp "we were painting in the room and I had to go to the bathroom so I asked Heather if I could go and usually she doesn't let us go alone but she said I could so I went to the bathroom and then I was washing my hands and then I was going to go back to the room when I opend the door it opend on my toe and it cut it" (that is actually the short version). DEFINITELY you did the right thing with anesthetic...I say the less trauma kids have with a doctor the less fear they have as time goes on. Just my 2cents, but from my own personal experience (as a kid who remembers painful stuff) and a kid that has had icky stuff done, I was thankful for the option!OH, I was so excited my post made it into the SSO!! :). I'm like, almost famous now!

You totally did the right thing by letting the doctor give Lexi anaesthesia. When I was her age, I had my broken arm set in the ER with not so much as a tylenol. I'm 37 now (and a nurse) and I still have not forgiven my parents for letting the doctor do that to me!

Yes, it is definitely OVERBOOKING that is the honest reason as to why we get to the appointment EARLY yet we wait an hour and a half to be seen for FIVE MINUTES! (yes, it is a pet peeve of mine as well!). My doctor actually switched his appointment blocks from 15 minute blocks, to 30 minute blocks, which allow him more time with each patient and less waiting time. He probably took a pay cut (or someone else did), but I GREATLY appreciate that person's sacrifice! :)P.S. that Seinfeld clip had me laughing histerically!~audrey (animal tamer to three little boys)

Have you ever noticed how waiting rooms in Dr's offices Never have clocks in them? That's so that you'll have no idea if you've been there 6 months or a year.

Haven't they heard of that cool new invention called the telephone? I know when I'm running late I pick up the phone call the person I'm meeting and let them know I'll be late. You'd think they would want to keep their customers happy because we are customers as well as patients, right?

You know, my middle child broke his wrist falling off a bunkbed, too. At least yours has a better story to go along with it! My kid just 'fell', with a little help from his sister;) We had the same blue cast, but didn't need any setting or anesthesia thank goodness.

I was wondering if Indiana Jones would be a banned game going forward... and you answered that question!

As for the doctor... I've switched doctors (and let them know) due to excessive waiting. When I feel the need to call them to see how far behind they're running before I leave for the doctor, that's when I start wondering why I'm going there :)

About the waiting. . . I once visited my former internist with two related medical problems, but I had a third medical issue I also wanted to talk to the dr. about. When the nurse asked me the reason for my visit, I told her the 3 things. She said they limited each visit to 2 complaints. For the third, I'd have to set another appointment. I never went back for the third issue. The thought of having to either take my young children with me again or find a sitter was just too daunting. Luckily, it was a minor issue. But it always seemed like bad practice to me to send patients away knowing they needed care for something. I will say, I never had to wait longer than 10 min. to see that doctor, though! I guess you get the good with the bad.

I agree with the doctor's office wait issue. It doesn't matter what the reason is or whose fault it is, an appt. is an appt. It irritates me to death. I believe it is overbooking and too short of appt. blocks. Whether it is the family doctor or the chiropractor, I've had to wait too long. I've switched chiro's and now I walk in and he see me right away; I can also schedule the appt. in the morning and be seen by noon. I love it.

I, too, get TICKED OFF about the waiting time in doctor's offices. I spent almost 45 minutes yesterday there in the waiting room for a well baby visit. I'm sure by the time we left, the next visit won't be for a "well" visit, it'll be because we caught something waiting with all those sickies.

Hi Dawn. I had broken my wrist before and it is not fun. It was Holloween night and I was coming down the stairs and climbing over the baby gate. I tripped and fell (dove) down onto my wrist. My wrist was all crooked looking as we drove to the hospital. I said now this is a scary holloween costume. It was my right hand and for the next few months I was changeing diapers with my wrong hand and feet. Wish Lexi a speedy recovery from Kristine in Michigan.

I worked in an optometrists office for a year and the number one reason for patients having to wait was simply overbooking!! The doctor can only be with one patient at a time and yet they insisted on scheduling several.

My younger sibling had a run on broken bones, 3 with broken legs in less than 6 months. This included my then 2 yr old brother in a body cast, as he broke his leg near the hip with help from some siblings jumping on the bed with him. Mom told all of us that she would set the next broken bone herself. There were no broken bones after that for 10 years.

I've been married for 10 years, and my husband has been in school or medical training the WHOLE 10 YEARS we've been married, with a couple years still to go. So it bothers me when people say things like, "We have to stick up for our rights in the waiting room!" It takes 13 YEARS of school and residency to become an orthopedic surgeon. If there weren't people--and their families--who were willing to spend all that time and money to become a doctor, it would be really hard to get the care we need. (This is not an attack on you, Dawn. It's in response to some of the comments.)

I know you must have answered this a million times but I can never remember... how old are all your kids? I can remember the order the go in and I have a vague idea of the age range, but I can never remember specific ages & I'm always curious.

I also wonder just how often your kids are seriously hurt! It seems like someone is always getting a broken bone or crushed under the garage door or something! I don't think I could handle that. I'd have an ulcer or something by now! You really are amazing!

I'm always hearing that kids with ADHD are more accident prone & that certainly was the case with me personally. Do you find that to be at all true? My oldest (9) has ADHD and the most "serious" thing to ever happen to her was when I had to take her to urgent care because she couldn't walk... and then it turned out she was faking just so she could see an x-ray of her knee. I think she's just been lucky never to have been seriously hurt. My other child is 5 and he's never had anything serious either. Either real or made up. I've been so lucky somehow. Course now that I've said this they'll probably both break something this week, right?

Oh yeah I forgot to mention (blame the ADHD, lol) that luckily the wait times with my kids' regular doctor is not too bad. Since there have been no serious injuries that's all I have experience with really. I think the worst it gets is one hour from arrival to when the doctor walks into the room. And that's broken up a little with the getting of the vitals & height & weight, and then of course taking us back to the room. One thing I think is cool is our clinic has these prepared packets for the kids with a couple crayons & stencils & pictures to color, etc. That always keeps them busy & since they can take it back with them to the room it keeps them busy there too. Very good idea if you ask me.

One commenter said that she goes early and then always has to wait? You'd think she would learn by now not to go early, if she knows the doctor isn't going to be on time!

My dad is a doctor and really struggles with staying on time. Part of his "problem" is that he is willing to listen to all his patients, especially the older ones who want to talk about every single health issue. He views his patients as people worthy of his time-- but since he also is willing to work people in so that they don't have to go to Urgent Care or the nurse practitioner, he ends up running behind schedule. He is by far the most popular doctor in their practice, however, because he does these things-- he doesn't rush patients through their visits and he works people in who really need to see him. He does limit the number of physicals in a day, because those are often the appointments that take the most time.

He recently stopped accepting new patients because he knew if he had too large of a patient base, he could never adequately serve his patients (and that's what a good doctor's mentality MUST be-- he's there to serve). He's gotten SOOO much flak for not taking new patients, it's incredible.It seems that sometimes doctors can't win. If they rushed people through their appointments to stay on time, they would hear about that. If they didn't work people in who were really sick, they would hear about that.

So, the carpenter guy who billed his doctor for money he lost being away from his job...Does he also send a bill to the DMV when he has to take time out of his busy schedule to go there? How about the post office, or a long wait in the McDonald's drive-thru?

Hello, big fan here! I am pregnant and one of the websites I check out was advertising this book "Because I Said So", but the cover was different from yours, so I looked at it.. It's not yours! Do you know about copyright on names of books, etc... and know if it matters?

okay, I was just wondering, In your post Disney day five you said you were going to make a big dos and donts kind of list. no rush, but are you still going to do that? please do, I need some tips coz im going to Disney world

As far as wait times in the office, I'd rather wait there over waiting days, weeks, etc for an appointment. When my son broke his arm he had his first appt with ortho rescheduled and ultimately waited one week to get casted. Very frustrating. Scheduling can be tough, as many visits are related to a recent acute event. Especially with a specialty like orthopedics or pediatrics.

I think most of the waiting is due to patient care, not the provider off playing golf or whatever many commenters suggested. Most providers do want to give the patient their full undivided attention. Not all, of course, but it is more common that a provider is there with the goal of helping people...

All that being said, waiting is very annoying. I had an OB who did all of his own daytime deliveries. The routine there was one would call one hour before the scheduled appointment time to see if the doc was running late. This really cut down on waiting in the office. It was a good system. Maybe more providers could enact something similar.